Cold Fire
by Jade Cyclone
Summary: Set back in ancient Egypt, Yami is the pharoah who's had a hard life. Can he find peace in a childhood friend he thought he'd never meet again? Prequel to a story I'm writting--it's not posted yet


A/N: Hurray! I'm posting again! Hehehe ^_________________^ I feel so much better. *Cries* I'm so sorry! WAH! My stories are failing me! I have sooo many ideas and they just wont get written down. They're plotting against me I swear *sniffle*.  
  
Story ideas: All right, first, dodge the paper here, and remember stay clear of any and all writing utensils. That includes the keyboard men, now, MOVE OUT!  
  
AG: *Blinks* Wah! *Cries harder*  
  
Angel: Aww, shush now hikari, it'll be okay.  
  
AG: Will it?  
  
Angel: *Shrugs* how should I know?  
  
AG: .; Right, well *laughs nervously* that's my Yami for you. So, this isn't writers block, which is why I'm so mad! It's just that I have a whole bunch of jumbled story ideas but they wont come in a normal sequence of events. It's like the ending comes, then the climax, then the beginning, then the fluff, then the middle, and then the recall. ;_; Can you people understand such frustration? Don't worry I hope it ends soon. Okay, some quick thoughts:  
  
This is a one shot, I'm not revealing too much in here just what is necessary to make my story a bit clearer. After "Faltering Truths" is done though, I may post a side story set back in Ancient Egypt, that goes a little more in depth with the story you are about to read. *Shrugs* we'll see. If you want to hear more let me know so I can get started!  
  
(*^*: is when the scene changes) (~^~: is a flashback)  
  
Angel: If she owned it, do you think she would be wasting her time writing this for you? Now, before you answer, think really hard. C'mon, you can do it---  
  
AG: That's okay Angel I think they understand.  
  
Angel: Are you sure?  
  
AG: -__-;  
  
Cold Fire: A prequel to "Faltering Truths" by Angelgirl.  
  
*^*  
  
Night had fallen quickly across the sands of Egypt, cooling the air. The golden dust that littered the lands no longer danced furiously with the sun, but glittered with the lights of a darkened sky. Permanent fireflies dotted the navy blanket that covered the heavens, seemingly putting even Ra himself to sleep. They worshiped the milky light of their mother moon happily, twinkling as they giggled. Young pyramids stood, built proudly among the dunes before the mighty Nile, some only half finished, awaiting their call of duty.  
  
Mystery enveloped this land of powerful magic's as Egypt was put on hold. Workers abandoned their stations, priests left the temples, and even the pharaoh himself was cradled in his bedchambers.  
  
But as time slowed to a crawl, allowing the world and its people the bliss of sleep, as is similar to most nights, there are those who do not sleep, and those who would sleep for eternity---  
  
*^*  
  
The sound of deadweight dropping to the stone floor ricocheted down the hallway.  
  
A slender woman silently skipped down the corridor, her bare feet padding expertly down the halls. Her sleeveless sheer dress hung around her knees, stained with blood, as was the finely sharpened spear she clutched with a bloodied fist. Sun-lightened chocolate locks spilled over her shoulders in a mess of tiny brown braids, and the many cuts and bruises of captivity intruded her once flawless skin, now bathed in soft torchlight.  
  
A mumbled prayer to Ra for strength. A moment's pause. And suddenly, as if Ammit was at her heels, she bolted.  
  
*^*  
  
A young servant girl walked quietly down the great halls of the pharaoh's palace, ready to turn in for the night. Rounding the corner, she gasped at the sight before her.  
  
The two soldiers standing guard at the servant's quarters were lying in a pool of crimson silk.  
  
She took a step back, her hand flying to her mouth.  
  
Blood spilled from their lips like boiling water, dyed crimson from slit throats. Their unseeing eyes looked to the heavens and saw nothing; bodies lay on the stone, unfeeling.  
  
The red sea before her ran through the cracks in the stone, towards her feet, as if calling her to join them.  
  
"Oh gods." She whispered into the darkness, as she turned and ran.  
  
*^*  
  
Yami had already awoke, the feeling of impending danger rising in his chest. Quickly, he rose from his bed and dressed, and just as he'd slipped the millennium puzzle around his neck, there was a knock on his door.  
  
He opened it slowly and received a bow from the high priest Seth.  
  
"What is it?" He asked calmly, despite the anxiety he felt.  
  
The man addressed him without looking him in the eye. "One of the slaves that was to be taken in today has escaped."  
  
Yami raised an eyebrow. A slave? Escaping his palace? Not likely.  
  
"Who?" He asked curiously, not that he knew them all by heart.  
  
Seth raised a quizzical eyebrow. " Mirra, of Tau's family."  
  
Something inside the young ruler stirred then, something that seemed like familiarity, but it was gone seconds later. He stood there for a few moments, trying to recall that which he had not truly remembered.  
  
"Very well," he answered finally. " I will go then, send for eight of my guards." And with that, he walked down the hall.  
  
*^*  
  
Staying close to the shadows, Mirra crouched down, spear in hand. Guards patrolled the outer walls, but she needn't kill them. Sadly she looked to the dried blood that danced along her arm, cracked where she'd moved her wrist.  
  
Snapping back to reality, she turned her focus to the Nile. It was her only sanctuary; and silently, undetected, she slipped through the pylons of the pharaoh's palace.  
  
*^*  
  
Yami strode swiftly down the corridors only stopping to glance at the carnage that was left in Mirra's wake. He sighed, and flanked by guards, he too took leave through the gateway.  
  
*^*  
  
Seth fumed, angry as ever with the man who dared call himself pharaoh. He spat on the ground where he had kneeled before him, and turned to walk away. He wanted, with every fiber of his being, to destroy The King of Two Lands with his own hands.  
  
But no, that would be suspicious.  
  
A sly smirk trailed across his features as he walked. The girl had provided him with the perfect opportunity.  
  
The smirk grew into a grin, and a new skip bounced in his steps. 'Just you wait pharaoh, as soon as you willingly set forth beyond the boundaries of safety, I will strike as the cobra of the dessert that you did not realize was lurking in the shadows.'  
  
*^*  
  
When Yami had left behind the safety of his palace, he knew he was making a mistake. A big mistake; he had felt it. There was something in the air this night, an ominous feeling.  
  
The darkness he saw before him enveloped him and his men in an ebony blanket that only Ra could dissipate. And despite the confidence he held that he was doing the right thing, he could barely suppress a dormant fear that was resurfacing---the fear of failure.  
  
~^~  
  
A young boy with spiky tri-colored hair stood slightly trembling before the pharaoh. Vaguely he wondered if his real father was hiding somewhere beneath the eye of Horus that encircled this mans brow.  
  
"Yami you are no longer a child!" His voiced boomed around the chamber they were standing in. "You are the son of the pharaoh, The King of Two Lands! You shall not be seen gallivanting about Egypt as a commoner, nor will you disgrace yourself as you have today!"  
  
Yami looked down on himself, the many scrapes and bruises of a day playing outside littered his body. He shut his eyes in remembrance.  
  
Friendly laughter, a tug on his arm, graceful movements, a white dress dancing in the wind-  
  
A smile pulled at his usually impassive face; and a strong hand connected harshly with his cheek.  
  
The small figure pushed himself off the ground, his face burning. He looked to his father with wide eyes.  
  
"I do not tolerate insolence, do you understand me!" He roared.  
  
It took all Yami had right then, not to run. From then on, failure was not an option.  
  
~^~  
  
Something pulled at his very soul-the need to find this flaw. He would stamp it out himself.  
  
But even without a single clue, he marched on, searching for this woman, and calling on fate to guide him, he continued to the banks of the Nile.  
  
*^*  
  
Mirra stepped lightly onto the bank of the mighty river, her slender feet sinking slightly into the dark soil.  
  
Suddenly, her head snapped up, and her breath caught in her throat. The hair on the back of her neck bristled, and goosebumps rose on her skin. Something was going to happen.  
  
Without glancing back she waded into the cool waters, and dipped beneath the surface.  
  
*^*  
  
A group of twenty strong was watching in the distance; as the young ruler walked alone save for the eight guards flanking him.  
  
A signal from their leader, and eight bow strings were pulled taught---  
  
*^*  
  
Mirra saw it before the pharaoh could even flinch. Without any second thoughts, she sprang from the water still holding tightly to the spear she had taken from the guard in the palace, and sprinted towards the man who now stood alone.  
  
*^*  
  
Before the bodies even hit the ground, they charged, daggers and swords drawn thirsting for blood.  
  
*^*  
  
Yami blanched. He was utterly alone.  
  
*^*  
  
She raced towards him, her hand extended.  
  
"Follow me!" She pulled frantically, taking his hand in hers. Registering the words quickly he turned and ran with her, no questions asked.  
  
Shouts and cries could be heard uncomfortably close behind them.  
  
"DO NOT LET THEM ESCAPE!" Yelled a furious man.  
  
She ran harder, pulling Yami with her. 'Why am I doing this?'  
  
He gritted his teeth, willing his body to move faster. She yanked on his arm again as they ran deeper into the dessert.  
  
Arrows flew by, missing them by mere centimeters; scorpions poison glistening sickeningly in the night.  
  
Both panting, they chanced a glance behind them. The men had stopped once the city was out of sight. There was no need for them to continue, there was nowhere for their prey to go.  
  
Or so they thought.  
  
Mirra let go of his hand and slowed down, mumbling a "forgive me" for daring to touch him. She looked away from his piercing gaze, clearly not happy with the current predicament.  
  
Yami watched her curiously, trying to figure her out. She had a chance, a chance to get away, but she didn't take it, she'd saved him instead. Why?  
  
Breaking from his revere, Yami felt an odd sensation rush over his arm. He looked down to see a small cut on his forearm. Blood trickled from the small wound, tickling his skin as it ran down. He shrugged, it didn't seem threatening.  
  
Until he looked up at Mirra.  
  
His vision was blurred; everything was extremely fuzzy before his eyes. He stopped and shook his head. Without warning, the world began to sway.  
  
Noticing that hers were the only footsteps crunching in the sand, Mirra turned around.  
  
"What is it?" She asked, real concern slipping into her masked tone.  
  
"I-I can't see." He said softly.  
  
He heard her come slowly to him. He stretched his hands out to her, but received nothing. Had she left him? No, that wasn't it. He sighed.  
  
"It's alright." He told her.  
  
She let her hands cup his. "What happened?"  
  
He blinked. "I had a cut," he trailed off, falling to his knees with a groan.  
  
"Where?" She asked, her voice panicky. "Where is it?"  
  
"My arm." He forced himself to say.  
  
She released one of her hands, her fingers brushing the cut slightly. He winced when she pulled back suddenly.  
  
"It was the arrows." She said quietly. "They were poisoned."  
  
He looked to the direction of her voice, unconsciously squeezing her hand tighter.  
  
There was a short, awkward silence between the two before she helped him to his feet.  
  
"Come on." She said, gently coaxing him into taking a step. "It's not much further."  
  
He turned towards her with unseeing startled eyes.  
  
"What?" She asked with a nervous, playful tone. "You didn't think that I would lead you out here with nowhere to go did you?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
She understood. "Every life is a precious thing. There is something great in you, something that our lands need. You will live through this, there is more you have yet to do." She paused with a sigh. "I would not have walked away, be the person, tomb robber, or even the pharaoh that enslaved me."  
  
He could feel her eyes bore into him, until a sharp pain shot through his body. He gritted his teeth, suppressing a painful cry. Slowly, she slung his arm over her shoulders.  
  
"Lean on me."  
  
He did, and then he slipped into oblivion.  
  
*^*  
  
Yami woke, feverish, but none the worse for wear. He was lying on a mat in a cavern, utterly alone in the dim light.  
  
The first thing he noticed was that he could see, but decided he'd best not try to stand just yet. As his eyes roved the cave, he committed all he took in to memory.  
  
Reed shelves lined the cave, adorned with bottles and herbs that Yami couldn't identify, and a trail of water ran down the wall, captured in a rounded stone basin beneath it. But besides the mat he was currently lying on, there was nothing else. 'But there used to be more.' He thought to himself.  
  
He blinked. Where had that come from? He thought for a moment, stretching his memory back to a time long forgotten---  
  
~^~  
  
A small figure walked alone in the streets. The thin cloak he wore hid his face from the sun, as it swayed with his legs. In a pleasant mood, he turned the corner, hearing voices of children playing.  
  
"Aw, that's not fair, you're faster than all of us and you know it." A young boy whined.  
  
"Yep, I do know. That's why you have to catch me to see it."  
  
The figure paused as the young girl continued, standing in front of a group of children.  
  
"The ultimate challenge, for the ultimate prize." She grinned.  
  
"Fine, but you have to promise, if we catch you--"  
  
"Yes, I know," She said waving her hand dismissively. "But only if you win."  
  
Curious, the figure stepped closer.  
  
In moments she sprang up, and began running. Fascinated, he watched as she kicked off walls and skidded across the ground to avoid capture.  
  
"Come on," she encouraged. "You can do it!"  
  
She turned back to look at them, heading straight for the lone figure in the shadows. He took a step back but---  
  
WHAM!  
  
The children scattered, giggling uncontrollably, leaving the small girl alone with her mistake.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, helping him to his feet. "I wasn't looking and I-oh Gods!" She gasped releasing his hand.  
  
At first the young boy couldn't understand what had gotten into her, until realizing that his cape had fallen off during the collision.  
  
Standing before the small girl was the successor to the throne: Yami, the pharaoh's son.  
  
She stuttered a moment, opting to take a step back.  
  
"Wait!" He hissed pulling her into a shadowed area around the corner after retrieving his cloak.  
  
She watched him with wide eyes, filled with curiosity and wonderment.  
  
"You can't say anything about this." He whispered to her urgently, throwing the cloak back over his head. "Please, you have to promise."  
  
Suddenly, he saw realization dawning in her eyes. "I promise." She nodded. "But," she caught herself, noting to whom she was speaking.  
  
"But what?"  
  
"Can I ask you a question?"  
  
He smiled. "Sure."  
  
"Did you, sneak out?" She asked, eyes dancing with excitement.  
  
He looked around as if searching for hidden eyes. "Yes." He finally answered.  
  
She grinned.  
  
"Can I ask you something?" He countered.  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"What did the others want to see?"  
  
He smiled again when a mischievous smirk graced her lips. "A secret place, that only I know of." She whispered, and after a pause she added, "would you like to see?"  
  
He was about to answer when he remembered something. "I don't have to catch you, do I?"  
  
She laughed. "No, you don't, I promise."  
  
"Alright then."  
  
She nodded, and pressed a finger to her lips for silence. Together, they hurried off, away from the city, and into the desert.  
  
~^~  
  
Yami shook his head; it had eluded him again. There was nothing more. But he knew something was missing, there had to be something else. But before he could catch it, the soft sound of flesh on stone echoed through the cavern.  
  
*^*  
  
"Did you finish it?" Seth asked.  
  
"They escaped into the dessert, but," he hesitated. "Surely they will die before they can return without supplies."  
  
The high priest bristled. "Who is, "they"?" He asked venomously.  
  
"A young slave girl, I believe, and the pharaoh, my lord." Came the leaders reply.  
  
"Incompetents!" He yelled. "Find them!"  
  
*^*  
  
Mirra rounded the corner and kneeled at his bedside. She wasted no time. "Are you fit to return," she paused, and then added, " my pharaoh?" uncertainly. "I'm afraid I have no food here, the longer we stay the more dangerous this situation will get."  
  
He sat up slowly and looked at her. "I think that as long as I can have a drink first, I'll be fine."  
  
"Oh gods!" She squeaked, rushing to her feet. "I'm sorry."  
  
Moments later, he was presented with a tall cup filled with to the brim with clear, sparkling, water.  
  
"Excuse me," she said standing up, and then, as if realizing something she turned back to him. "My pharaoh."  
  
Yami raised his eyebrows. He was used to such titles, but she didn't seem to know how to use them. She knew the basic rules but-he shrugged. He would look into it later. 'For now,' he thought, easing himself off he mat. 'It's probably better to focus on getting back to the city.'  
  
*^*  
  
Two men marched along in the sand, blindly searching for their prey. One arrow notched, one dagger unsheathed.  
  
*^*  
  
She came back to see him standing, though a little unsteadily, in the cave. She returned with her spear, and stepped back so he could go first.  
  
"You can see alright then?" She asked him before he walked by.  
  
"Yes, I can," he paused and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
He walked ahead of her, but she directed them towards the Nile, and from there they could make it to the city.  
  
They walked in silence for the most part, neither knowing what to say to the other. The sun blazed above them, scorching the sand that they stood upon, but they trekked on, Mirra, unsure of what would happen when they returned, and Yami determined to find the man behind his attackers.  
  
After about a half-day's walk through the endless sea of sand, Mirra spoke up.  
  
"It shouldn't be much longer, my pharaoh." This time she didn't hesitate. "Just beyond those dunes there."  
  
He nodded, noticing that she was much more comfortable with the name now, than she had been earlier.  
  
"Wait." She said suddenly.  
  
Yami turned to her, and realized they were not alone. Not far behind them, in the dunes, two men stood high, one with a bow aimed and ready to fire. Unconsciously, she stood in front of him, daring them to attack.  
  
Yami watched her, and decided that he would never understand the female population.  
  
She narrowed her eyes, and observed the bowstring visibly slacken as they walked towards them.  
  
"Greetings from the underworld, pharaoh." They bowed. He clenched his fists and would have replied had Mirra not taken a step back, as if to better guard him. She held her spear in both hands, knees slightly bent, muscles tense.  
  
"Oh none of that now," the one with the arrows said. "We don't need to take care of you, you could be good for other things." Their laughter was cut short.  
  
Mirra swung the butt of her spear towards him, knocking the bow out of his hands, and then turning it quickly, she slashed him across the face.  
  
Blood dripped from his cheek as he faltered, falling over in the sand.  
  
His stunned partner only had time to retreat one step before the wind was knocked out of him and he was on the ground. His dagger had been flung wide, the metal glinting in the sun.  
  
"Don't waste my time," she snarled as Yami retrieved their weapons and threw them into the desert.  
  
"I should have killed you both and let the sand swallow your bodies but," she gestured over her shoulder at Yami. "Executing enemies is his job, not mine."  
  
Yami stared impassively at them, before finally giving any sign that he'd heard her.  
  
"Get up." He snapped at them.  
  
*^*  
  
When the small party would return to the pharaohs palace, two prisoners would be forced to explain Seth's plan, and Yami would foil it. Seth would be banished, and Mirra would, unconsciously, take the role of the pharaoh's personal bodyguard. But that would only be the beginning. For, as some would claim, history often repeats itself over time---  
  
*^*  
  
So there you have it. Look for "Faltering Truth's" pretty soon, as the main story to this prequel. I would love to hear from you all, so please R&R, and as a wise authoress once said: "R&R does NOT mean Read and Run!" Thanks for your time ^^  
  
And a special thanks goes out to lessa4, Adelianna, and River-star2, for helping me, and giving me the inspiration to write this. Check out they're stories guys, you have no idea what you'll be missing if you don't 0.~*  
  
Ja ne!  
  
~Angelgirl 


End file.
